The government of Akwa Ibom State has insisted that hundreds of structures described as illegal are to be demolished in Uyo, the state capital, in other to achieve the aesthetic value of the metropolis.
Stressing this at a press conference, Chairman of the Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Hon. Ignatius Edet, complained about the widespread illegal development and distortion of the Master Plan of Uyo.
He noted that the UCCDA had been without a duly constituted Board for seven years, which resulted in the deplorable state with regard to physical planning and development of the city.
Edet, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, expressed concern that huge sums of money had been expended by the present state administration, in payment of compensation for the expansion and construction of urban roads in Uyo.
“Unfortunately, the lawlessness and the disorderly development all over the Capital City and the unlawful manner in which traders and artisans conduct their daily businesses has totally undermined the quality of infrastructural development and denied the residents in Uyo of the dividends of democracy,” he said.
Regretting negative campaigns by a cross section of the society, Hon. Edet declared, “development control must be viewed beyond personal and selfish interest as a breach in planning laws by one would always affect many in the long run.”
He said, “Development control cannot be compromised, the job of physical planning and development control never been initially applauded but has always been appreciated at the end.”
The Chairman of the UCCDA listed his challenges to include lack of fund to support public enlightenment, lack of personnel, lack of vehicles and equipment, wrong perception of development control, inadequate security coverage.
Other challenges included, haphazard development efforts by individuals and corporate organization, encroachment on government land, building on undesignated areas and water ways, area boys and hoodlums and traffic congestion caused by reckless road users.
